not sure what the question is but here is the difference between western music and arabic music

Scales in traditional Western music generally consist of seven notes and repeat at the octave. Notes in the commonly used scales (see just below) are
separated by whole and half step intervals of tones and semitones. The harmonic minor scale includes a three-semitone step; the pentatonic includes
two of these.

Western music in the Medieval and Renaissance periods (1100–1600) tends to use the white-note diatonic scale C-D-E-F-G-A-B. Accidentals are rare,
and somewhat unsystematically used, often to avoid the tritone.

Music of the common practice periods (1600–1900) uses three types of scale:

The diatonic scale (seven notes)—this includes the major scale and the natural minor
The melodic and harmonic minor scales (seven notes)

In music, the double harmonic major scale[1] is a scale whose gaps may evoke "exotic" music to Western listeners. This is also known as the Arabic
and [1][2] the Byzantine scale. It is also likened to the gypsy scale because of the augmented 2 between the 2nd and 3rd degrees. Arabic scale may
also refer to any Arabic mode, the simplest of which, however, to Westerners, resembles the double harmonic major scale.[3].
C Arabic scale: C-D♭-E-F-G-A♭-B. About this sound Play (help·info)

Originally posted by ProudBird
Music has, basically, EIGHT notes.....yet, those eight (AND. TONES....below and above) encompass ALL music!!!

SOMEONE, without a "tin ear" please help me to understand.

HERE...to start....I hear a lot of "string" instruments, among others....some are "breathe"-types....

ok....here WE GO!!!

(I APPRECIATE all replies.....really, I do.....might not get back to all, but...KNOW THAT you are welcomed!!)

Really not sure what you're getting at, but here goes:

First of all, the chromatic scale is made up of twelve notes, not eight. And that is just the tones or frequencies that have been decided upon in
western civilization as "standard". There are frequencies between these notes. For instance, on a fretless stringed instrument, you would see that
if you put your finger on a string and slowly ran up the length of it, there is no abrupt jump in frequencies. Imagine a slide whistle, or a slide
guitar which can easily achieve this effect. Also, when a guitarist bends a note, he is utilizing these inbetween notes as well. Again, not sure what
your question or whatever was, but hope that helps.

Originally posted by jazzguy
not sure what the question is but here is the difference between western music and arabic music

Scales in traditional Western music generally consist of seven notes and repeat at the octave. Notes in the commonly used scales (see just below) are
separated by whole and half step intervals of tones and semitones. The harmonic minor scale includes a three-semitone step; the pentatonic includes
two of these.

Western music in the Medieval and Renaissance periods (1100–1600) tends to use the white-note diatonic scale C-D-E-F-G-A-B. Accidentals are rare,
and somewhat unsystematically used, often to avoid the tritone.

Music of the common practice periods (1600–1900) uses three types of scale:

The diatonic scale (seven notes)—this includes the major scale and the natural minor
The melodic and harmonic minor scales (seven notes)

In music, the double harmonic major scale[1] is a scale whose gaps may evoke "exotic" music to Western listeners. This is also known as the Arabic
and [1][2] the Byzantine scale. It is also likened to the gypsy scale because of the augmented 2 between the 2nd and 3rd degrees. Arabic scale may
also refer to any Arabic mode, the simplest of which, however, to Westerners, resembles the double harmonic major scale.[3].
C Arabic scale: C-D♭-E-F-G-A♭-B. About this sound Play (help·info)

I think what happens is that we can entrain internal cycles within our brain to match external beats, tones and music.

What this evokes with music is programmed emotive and sensual/recollection responses as these waves of entrained neural activation ripple across the
brain.

As the entrainment is changed, in sometimes unexpected ways, this affects the way our brains process and creates similar emotional responses in all
entrained listeners. If you don't choose to "go with the flow" then the emotional responses don't normally affect you.

Also, music and frequency are wider than the scales and steps set by our instruments.

Theolonius Monk wanted to produce musical notes between the semitones he could play on the piano and so he would play adjacent semitones to suggest
the note between them. If you know what he is doing and why, you can hear these in-between notes and it adds to the appreciation of his music.

When you quote wikipedia (which should never be quoted in my humble opinion) be sure to put it in quotes and link to the source to avoid copyright
infringement. Some people take that pretty seriously.

As far as the question: How can all music be made using what would seem to be such a finite amount of notes? Have I got that right? Kudos to you for
an awesome question!

As one poster mentioned above, there are an infinite number of "notes", the same as there are infinite numbers between 1 and 2. Some have just been
standardized to make it possible for our finite minds to cope with such immensity.

Scales were invented as a part of this standardization. Different cultures have come to use different scales to make their own style of music. When we
hear the basic sounds contained in a melody, we can associate those to specific cultures because of the underlying scales.

Also, remember that just as you select certain notes to play, you therefore choose not to play other notes, but even the unplayed notes make up the
whole song, as you couldn't have the notes you did choose without the ones you left out.

Originally posted by LordAdef
May I suggest you start by reading about "Pythagoras" and the "Monochord"?
Just google it.

Exactly.
There's not 8 notes, not 12 notes, there are in fact as many as you like before the music starts becoming dischordant to your ears.
As LordAdef points out, it goes back to the idea of different frequencies being a multiple of each other, the simpler multiples being the more
pleasing sounds, twice being an "octave"... and so forth.

How many of these multiples you choose to add to your instrument (1:2, 2:3, 3:4, 2:5, 3:5.. whatever) is not a fixed number.
Pythagoras knew this.

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